We returned from WDW a week ago and I have yet to write up our trip report. I hope someone will benefit from me sharing it. It was our first trip. The DISBoards were an instrumental component in the planning and Len Testa was the primary force as our planningtours.com consultant.
I think it was a successful trip!
We traveled via Spirit Air from LaGuardia to MCO. My daughter, who is 5 y.o., did not recall her last plane ride. It was our first flight after 9/11. We did curbside check-in. Security was respectable. The alarm went off when I passed the portal at security. I was sure it was the staples on my clogs and handed them over. On the way home, I just took them off and passed them through the machine.
My daughter was so excited to be flying. She did not want to take a decongestant. Her ears began to hurt. (We've all had a series of colds for the last two months). She ended up taking a decongestant anyway.
Our plane arrived a little early. We got our luggage. My daughter had selected our identification ribbons -- red, white and blue sequined elastic ribbons. She looked proud to see her work's effect as we picked out the bags.
Happy Limo met us in baggage. We had a grocery stop at Albertsons. I had faxed ahead a grocery list. It was waiting for pick up. They had stored kept it waiting in the fridge because we had some perishable ordered.
We arrived at the Dolphin. It was more impressive in person. Check in went without a hitch. I brought all the documentation in support of us obtaining the government/teacher discount rate. I also brought documentation in support of my daughter entering into the straight A club. As a result, she got an extra free ice cream and a Straight A Club hat. I had my Starwood Preferred Guest Card and requested an room upgrade for a Epcot fireworks view. There was one available! We were in room 8029, with a smack-dab middle view of the lagoon, the Boardwalk area and the Spaceship Earth in the background.
We changed into our casual bests for Shula's, even the child. Shula's has no children's menu, but we wanted to celebrate our arrival together and start out with a special Steak treat for the man in our house who is a steak enthusiast. My daughter's comment about the ambiance was "this place is so dark, I need a cane!" It was dark, I could see her point. My husband ordered a 48 oz porterhouse. He ate it all and joined the "48" club. His name will now be entered on the website of club members. He ate it like he was munching popcorn. My daughter and I split a fillet mignon. The creamed spinach and double baked potato we shared was delish... It took a long time for the porterhouse to cook. My daughter got too cold in the AC, so she and I went for mini-excursions through the hotel, to our room, etc. She selected our dessert, some chocolate volcano deal, with gooey, yummy chocolate in the middle of a rich chocolate cake.
We watched the fireworks together as my daughter was dozing off, starting off to bed way, way much too much late.
We had an early entry start up. I had prepacked our park bag inside the suitcase, so it was not too difficult to arrange things for our morning skirmish and crash.
The beds really are aptly named at the Dolphin. They were heavenly, just right --- hard but so cushy and fluffy soft.
We all slept well.
I'll tell you about our first Magic Kingdom park day in the next installment.
KIS
I think it was a successful trip!
We traveled via Spirit Air from LaGuardia to MCO. My daughter, who is 5 y.o., did not recall her last plane ride. It was our first flight after 9/11. We did curbside check-in. Security was respectable. The alarm went off when I passed the portal at security. I was sure it was the staples on my clogs and handed them over. On the way home, I just took them off and passed them through the machine.
My daughter was so excited to be flying. She did not want to take a decongestant. Her ears began to hurt. (We've all had a series of colds for the last two months). She ended up taking a decongestant anyway.
Our plane arrived a little early. We got our luggage. My daughter had selected our identification ribbons -- red, white and blue sequined elastic ribbons. She looked proud to see her work's effect as we picked out the bags.
Happy Limo met us in baggage. We had a grocery stop at Albertsons. I had faxed ahead a grocery list. It was waiting for pick up. They had stored kept it waiting in the fridge because we had some perishable ordered.
We arrived at the Dolphin. It was more impressive in person. Check in went without a hitch. I brought all the documentation in support of us obtaining the government/teacher discount rate. I also brought documentation in support of my daughter entering into the straight A club. As a result, she got an extra free ice cream and a Straight A Club hat. I had my Starwood Preferred Guest Card and requested an room upgrade for a Epcot fireworks view. There was one available! We were in room 8029, with a smack-dab middle view of the lagoon, the Boardwalk area and the Spaceship Earth in the background.
We changed into our casual bests for Shula's, even the child. Shula's has no children's menu, but we wanted to celebrate our arrival together and start out with a special Steak treat for the man in our house who is a steak enthusiast. My daughter's comment about the ambiance was "this place is so dark, I need a cane!" It was dark, I could see her point. My husband ordered a 48 oz porterhouse. He ate it all and joined the "48" club. His name will now be entered on the website of club members. He ate it like he was munching popcorn. My daughter and I split a fillet mignon. The creamed spinach and double baked potato we shared was delish... It took a long time for the porterhouse to cook. My daughter got too cold in the AC, so she and I went for mini-excursions through the hotel, to our room, etc. She selected our dessert, some chocolate volcano deal, with gooey, yummy chocolate in the middle of a rich chocolate cake.
We watched the fireworks together as my daughter was dozing off, starting off to bed way, way much too much late.
We had an early entry start up. I had prepacked our park bag inside the suitcase, so it was not too difficult to arrange things for our morning skirmish and crash.
The beds really are aptly named at the Dolphin. They were heavenly, just right --- hard but so cushy and fluffy soft.
We all slept well.
I'll tell you about our first Magic Kingdom park day in the next installment.
KIS
